This Sydney wedding venue wanted the pontoon. The locals weren’t having it

A pontoon along the popular Iron Cove Bay Run has become the latest flashpoint in a battle over the commercial use of Sydney’s public spaces after plans by a high-end function venue to use the structure for wedding ceremonies and bridal photographs prompted backlash from locals.

After months of community opposition, Canada Bay Council has rejected a proposal by Drummoyne venue Aqua Luna to host weddings and events on the 15-metre pontoon, opposite its premises near the Iron Cove Bridge.

The decision delivered a significant victory to rowers, sporting groups, school students and residents who argued wedding events could restrict access for community members who use the pontoon daily, create safety risks and turn a structure designed for public use into a de facto private events space.

On a Crown Land lease, Aqua Luna has been operating as a venue for weddings, functions and private events since 2017. It had proposed using the pontoon for gatherings of up to 50 guests during periods when there was no rowing.

The venue’s planning consultant, Peter Luff, said the proposal was aimed at strengthening Aqua Luna’s long-term viability, supporting local jobs and responding to growing demand for event spaces in Sydney.

But the proposal met overwhelming community resistance – 98 per cent of submissions during public consultation opposed the plan.

Residents and sporting groups raised concerns about safety, public access and the compatibility of commercial wedding activities with the site’s status as Crown land zoned for “public recreation” and “environment protection”.

Among the most vocal opponents was the 107-year-old Drummoyne Rowing Club, which operates from the lower level of the same building as Aqua Luna and relies on the pontoon as a key launching point.

Club president Stephen Burke warned wedding parties, photographers and event activity could interfere with rowing and create safety risks.

“We’ve got more than 200 people rowing out of the shed, of all ages and abilities, and our concern is that allowing functions would have increased competition on the pontoon and caused serious problems,” he said.

“The pontoon moves, it floats, it’s slippery – it’s simply not designed for weddings and just wouldn’t have worked.”

Tara Anglican School for Girls, which has used the pontoon for its rowing program for more than 25 years, cited what it described as “unacceptable safety risks” to students in opposing the application.

Rowing NSW and Sport NSW added support. Haberfield Rowing Club argued the proposal could set a precedent for the commercial use of community sporting infrastructure elsewhere in Sydney.

The dispute comes as Sydney councils face increased pressure arising from commercial activities in public parks and other recreation spaces.

In June, North Sydney Council introduced new permits and increased fees for some commercial operators, including wedding parties and fitness groups, amid concerns about the “privatisation” of public land.

Canada Bay resident Phyllis Blennerhassett said public spaces are becoming increasingly important as Sydney’s population grows.

“With a government push to increase housing density everywhere there’s increased demand for public recreation spaces like this and we have to protect them not just for us, but for the future,” she said.

Aqua Luna’s proposal prompted renewed scrutiny of its planning and regulation. Council records show the venue was granted development consent in 2016 on the condition it operated as a restaurant or cafe.

However, council reports state the premise has since operated as a function centre without the necessary planning approval. As part of the latest application, Aqua Luna sought to regularise that use.

The issue was repeatedly raised during a Canada Bay Council meeting, as councillors questioned why the alleged non-compliance had continued for years without enforcement action.

A council spokesman declined to answer questions about enforcement measures or whether any fines or infringement notices had been issued. Aqua Luna also declined to comment.

In a statement, the council said it would “work with the operator to ensure that the use of the premises is consistent with the development consent”.

After more than two hours of debate, councillors unanimously voted to reject the pontoon proposal but allowed the venue to continue operating a function centre as an “ancillary use” on the upper level of the building.

The council will query the NSW government over the long-term future of the rowing club. Aqua Luna secured a 40-year extension of its Crown Lands lease of the site, extending its tenure into the 2070s.

The rowing club’s existing lease, which operates through a sublease arrangement with Aqua Luna, is due to expire in 2034.

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